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Daud Olatunji
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has come under intense scrutiny after acknowledging concerns over suspected artificial intelligence-generated photographs in Nigeria’s preliminary Register of Voters, sparking public outrage and renewed questions about the credibility of the 2027 general elections.
The commission said it had commenced a review of questionable voter records and was investigating possible technical or procedural lapses that might have allowed the photographs to appear in its electoral database.
The development followed public complaints after INEC uploaded the preliminary register to its website on Monday, October 26, with some Nigerians alleging that certain voter profiles contained suspicious photographs, duplicate entries and other discrepancies.
Some social media users also claimed to have discovered deceased relatives on the register, while others questioned the authenticity of photographs and personal details attached to some voter profiles.
The controversy has heightened demands for transparency, with Nigerians insisting that the electoral commission must explain how the questionable records emerged and what measures are being taken to protect the integrity of the register ahead of the 2027 polls.
PLATFORM TIMES gathered that the reported discrepancies have triggered widespread debate on social media, with some citizens expressing fears that unresolved irregularities could undermine confidence in the electoral process.
Others called on INEC to disclose the extent of the problem, identify the source of the disputed images and explain whether the affected records had passed through the commission’s verification procedures.
Some users also raised concerns about the possibility of duplicate or fictitious voter profiles being exploited during elections. However, such claims have not been independently established, and the appearance of suspicious photographs does not, by itself, prove that the register contains fictitious voters or that electoral fraud has occurred.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, October 27, and signed by Mohammed Kudu Haruna, Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee, the commission acknowledged that questionable records had been identified during the public display of the preliminary register.
INEC explained that the register uploaded to its website was the same preliminary document displayed at Registration Areas nationwide between October 9 and 15.
The exercise, known as Display, Claims and Objections, allows members of the public to examine voter registration records, identify inaccuracies and challenge questionable entries before the final Register of Voters is certified.
According to the commission, some records were flagged for further examination during the exercise, prompting a review and corrective measures.
“The online publication represents the original preliminary register and does not reflect all ongoing data-cleanup activities,” INEC stated.
The commission stressed that the preliminary register should not be confused with the final certified Register of Voters, adding that the review was intended to identify and correct irregularities before certification.
“It is important to emphasise that the preliminary register is not the final certified register,” it said.
